USPTO Patents Application 09885451

I Attorney D^ket No. 291958170US2

Semitool Ref No. P99-0006US3

Date:

PATENT

IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE

in Re Application of:

Thomas L. Ritzdorf et al.

Application No.: 09/885,451

Filed: June 20, 2001

For: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR
LOW TEMPERATURE ANNEALING
OF METALLIZATION MICRO-
STRUCTURES IN THE PRODUCTION
OF A MICROELECTRONIC DEVICE

Confirmation No. 3390
Art Unit: 1741

0

& o

m § o

Commissioner for Patents
Washington, D.C. 20231

Sir:
1.

Timing of Submission

7nis formation disclosure is being flled -^^^T^^
application or date of entry '^.^'^'^ifSr^L tSJ^JT^nSiJ^oeu™ last
before the mailing date of a first °°^ F ^£j.i449 (modified)

make them of record in the application.

2. Cited Information

^ Copies of the following references are enclosed:

□ All cited references

□ References marked by asterisks
^ The following:

350-354.

[/IDS-NO O-A - JAN2002.DOC]

. • - ,? I ^ E ? , ? K ^J , A - 6t aL " Actlvat,on Ener 3y of Electromigration in Copper Thin Film Conductor
Lines Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, 1996, Vol. 427, pp. 121-126 Materials
Research Society. '

KONONENKO. O. V. et a/. "Electromigration In Submicron Wide Copper Unes" Materials
Research Society Symposium Proceedings, 1996, Vol. 427, pp. 127-132, Materials Research Society.

MEI, Y. et a/. Thermal Stability and Interaction Between SIOF and Cu Film" Materials Research
Society Symposium Proceedings, 1996. Vol. 427. pp. 433-439. Materials Research Society.

RUSSELL. S. W. et al. The Effect of Copper on the Titanium-Silicon Dioxide Reaction and the
Implications for Self-Encapsulating, Self-Adhering Metallization Lines". Materials Research Sodetv
Symposium Proceedings, 1 992. Vol. 260. pp. 763-768, Materials Research Society. Pittsburgh PA

09/018,783:

Copies of the following references can be found in parent application Ser. No.

□ All cited references
References marked by asterisks

□ The following:

□ The following references are not in English. For each such reference the
undersigned has enclosed (i) a translation of the reference; (ii) a copy of a
communication from a foreign patent office or International Searching
Authority citing the reference, (iii) a copy of a reference which appears to be
an English-language counterpart, or (iv) an English-language abstract for the
reference prepared by a third party. Applicant has not verified that the
translation, English-language counterpart or third-party abstract is an
accurate representation of the teachings of the non-English reference
though, and reserves the right to demonstrate otherwise.

□ All cited references

□ References marked by ampersands

□ The following:

Effect of In formation Disclosure Statement (37 CFR 1.97(h))

This Information Disclosure Statement is not to be construed as a representation
that: (i) a search has been made; (ii) additional information material to the
examination of this application does not exist; (iii) the information, protocols, results
and the like reported by third parties are accurate or enabling; or (iv) the cited
information is, or is considered to be, material to patentability. In addition, applicant
does not admit that any enclosed item of information constitutes prior art to the
subject invention and specifically reserves the right to demonstrate that any such
reference is not prior art.

Fee Payment

No fees are believed due. However, should the Commissioner determine that fees
are due in order for this Information Disclosure Statement to be considered, the
Commissioner is hereby authorized to charge such fees to Deposit Account No. 50-
0665.

{flDS-NO O-A - JAN2002.DOC)

2

5. Patent Term Adjustment (37 CFR 1.704(d))

□ The undersigned states that each item of information submitted herewith was
cited in a communication from a foreign patent office in a counterpart
application and that this communication was not received by any individual
designated in 37 C.F.R. § 1.56(c) more than thirty days prior to the filing of
this statement. 37 C.F.R. § 1.704(d).

Correspondence Address;
Customer No. 25096
Perkins Coie LLP
P.O. Box 1247

Seattle, Washington 98111-1 247
Phone: (206) 583-8888

[/IDS-NO 0-A - JAN2002.DOC] 3

Respectfully submitted,
Perkins Coie LLP

Edward S. Hotchkiss
Registration No. 33,904

0 ^INFORMATION DISCLOSURE
^ STATEMENT BY APPLICANT

# 1 * lf orni PTO-1449 (Modified)

i yytjbc ocvcidi oiiccio 11 iicircoodiyj

COMPLE&F KNOWN

Application Number

09/885,451

Confirmation Number

3390

Filing Date

February 20, 2001

First Named Inventor

Thomas L. Ritzdorf

Group Art Unit

1741

Examiner Name

Unknown

^Tfctf^ |1 of 6

Attorney Docket No.

291 95^1 70US2

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

Examiner
Initials

Cite

NO.

U.S. Patent or Application

Kind Code

NUMBER (if known)

Name of Patentee or Inventor
of Cited Document

Date of
Publication or
Filing Date
of Cited
Document

Pages, Columns, Lines,
Where Relevant
Figures Appear

*2,443,599

Allen E Chester

06/22/48

•3,894,918

Corby et al.

07/1 5/75

*4,250,004

Miles et al.

02/10/81

•4,539,222

Anderson, Jr. et al.

09/03/85

•4,687,552

Early et al.

08/18/87

•4,891,069

Holtzman et al.

01/02/90

•5,164,332

Kumar

11/17/92

•5,314,756

Tagaya

05/24/94

•5,431,803

DiFranco et al.

07/11/95

•5,600,532

Michiya et al.

02/04/97

•5,605,615

Goolsby et al.

02/25/97

•5,612,254

Mu et al.

03/18/97

•5,627,102

Shinriki et al.

05/06/97

•5,893,752

Zhang et al

04/13/99

•5,939,788

McTeer

08/17/99

•5,969,422

Ting et al.

10/19/99

•5,972,192

Dubin et al.

10/26/99

•6,001,730

Farkas et al.

12/14/99

•6,043,153

Nogami et al.

03/28/00

•6,074,544

Reid et al.

06/13/00

•6,082,163

Armstrong et al.

06/06/00

•6,126,761

DeHaven et al.

10/03/00

•6,228,768

Woo et al.

05/08/01

•6,254,758

Koyama

07/03/01

•6,278,089

Young et al.

08/21/01

•6,280,183

Mayur et al.

08/28/0^

EXAMINER

DATE CONSIDERED (C <s

•EXAMINER: Initial if reference considered, whether or not criteria is in conformance with MPEP 609. Draw line through citation if not in conformance and not
considered Include copy of this form with next communication to application^).

Form 1449.doc

3 ^INFORMATION DISCLOSURE
aTSSfl. pPTATEMENT BY APPLICANT
VJSi 1 $ Form PTO-1 449 (Modified)

.ffflse several sheets if necessar^A

I^^T^ WW ▼ W ■ %A 1 wl ■ W \f w II II w w^^ wwO 1 V 1

COMPLE^IF KNOWN

Application Number

09/885,451

Confirmation Number

3390

Filing Date

February 20, 2001

First Named Inventor

Thomas L. Rtedorf

Group Art Unit

1741

Examiner Name

Unknown

*a»r I 2 of 6

Attorney Docket No.

291 95-81 70US2

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

U.S. Patent or Application

*6,297,154

Gross et al.

10/02/01

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

Examiner
Initial

Cit
e

No

Foreign Patent or Application

Name of Patentee or Applicant
of Cited Document

Date of
Publication or
Filing Date
of Cited
Document

Pages,
Columns,
Unes, Where
Relevant
Figures
Appear

T

Kind Code

Office NUMBER (if known)

EP

*0 751 567 A2

Intl. Business Machines Corp.

01/02/97

EP

*0 881 672 A2

Intl. Business Machines Corp.

12/02/98

EP

*0 982 771 A1

Lucent Technologies, Inc.

03/01/00

WO

*98/27585

Intl. Business Machines Corp.

06/25/98

OTHER PRIOR ART-NOIM PATENT LITERATURE DOCUMENTS

Include name of the author (in CAPITAL LETTERS), title of the article (when appropriate), title of the item
(book, magazine, journal, serial, symposium, catalog, etc.), date, page(s), volume issue number(s), publisher, city
and/or country where published.

AHN, E. C. et al. "Adhesion Reliability of Cu-Cr Alloy Films to Polyimide" Materials Research
Society Symposium Proceedings, 1996, Vol. 427, pp. 141-145, Materials Research Society.

ALERS, G. B. et al. "Trade-off between reliability and post-CMP defects during recrystallization
anneal for copper damascene interconnects" IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium
2001, pp. 350-354.

GLADKIKH, A. et al "Activation Energy of Electromigration in Copper Thin Film Conductor Lines"
Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, 1996, Vol. 427, pp. 121-126, Materials
Research Society.

KONONENKO, O. V. et al. "Electromigration In Submicron Wide Copper Lines" Materials Research
Society Symposium Proceedings, 1996, Vol. 427, pp. 127-132, Materials Research Society.

MEI, Y. et al. "Thermal Stability and Interaction Between SIOF and Cu Film" Materials Research
Society Symposium Proceedings, 1996, Vol. 427, pp. 433-439, Materials Research Society.

RUSSELL, S. W. et al. "The Effect of Copper on the Titanium-Silicon Dioxide Reaction and the
Implications for Self-Encapsulating, Self-Adhering Metallization Lines", Materials Research Society
Symposium Proceedings, 1992, Vol. 260, pp. 763-768, Materials Research Society, Pittsburgh, PA.

*NGUYEN et al, "Inter connect and Contact Metallization," Ried, F. H. and Rathore, G.S. Mathan, C.
Plougonven and C.C. Schuckert, PV 97-31, The Electrochemical Society, Inc., Pennington, NJ

DATE CONSIDERED

•EXAMINER: Initial if reference considered, whether or not criteria is in conformance with MPEP 609. Draw line through citation if not in conformance and not

considered. Include copy of this form with next communication to application(s).

Form 1449.doc

^ ^FORMATION DISCLOSURE
^W' STATEMENT BY APPLICANT
# ^Form PTO-1449 (Modified)

Jyse several sneeis it necessary)

^gmtf^. . .

comple^Mf KNOWN

Application Number

09/885.451

Confirmation Number

3390

Filing Date

February 20, 2001

First Named Inventor

Thomas L. Ritzdorf

Group Art Unit

1741

Examiner Name

Unknown

Sheet 3 of 6

Attorney Docket No.

291 95-81 70US2

OTHER PRIOR ART-NON PATENT LITERATURE DOCUMENTS

Examiner
Initials

Cite
No.

inciuae name 01 ine auinor (in uMri i al Lt I itKo), title of tne article (when appropriate), title of the item
(book, magazine, journal, serial, symposium, catalog, etc.), date, page(s), volume issue number(s), publisher, city

and/or country where published.

T

*FOULKE, D.G., in "Gold Plating Technology," Reid, F.H. and Goldie, W., p67, Electrochemical
Publicaiton Ltd British Isle M 996^

*TOMOV, V., STOYCHEV. D.S., VITANOVA, I.B., "Recovery And Recrystallization Of
Electrodeposited Bright Copper Coatings At Room Temperature. II. X-Ray Investigation Of Primary
Recrystallization, , \ Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 15, 887-894. Chapman and Hall Ltd. (1985).

♦STOYCHEV. D.S., TOMOV, V., VITANOVA, I.B., "Recovery And Recrystallization Of
Electrodeposited Bright Copper Coatings At Room Temperature. I Microhardness in relation to
Coating Structure", Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, 15, 879-886. Chapman and Hall Ltd. (1985).

*RITZDORF, T. ( GRAHAM, L, JIN, S., MU, C. and FRASER, D., M Self-Annealing of Electrochemically
Deposited Copper Films in Advanced Interconnect Applications," Proceedings of the IEEE 1998
International Interconnect Technology Conference, San Francisco, CA (June 1-3, 1998).

*DUBIN, V.M., SHACHAM-DIAMAND, Y., ZHAO, B., VASUDEV, P.K. and TING, C.H., "Sub-Half
Micron Electroless Cu Metallization," Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, Vol. 427,
San Francisco, (1996).

*COOK, M. and RICHARDS, T., "The Self-Annealing of Copper," J. Inst Metals, vol. LXX, pp. 159-
173 (1943).

i t

*MAK, C.Y., "Electroless Copper Deposition on Metals and Metal Silicides," Materials Research
Society Bulletin, (August 1994).

2 200;

D

F= —

*HOGAN, B.M. t "Microstructural Stability of Copper Electroplate," (citation unknown but believed to
be published more than one year before the date of this patent application).

<=»

l-ti

)

*STOYCHEV, D., VITANOVA, I. VIEWEGER, U., "Influence of the Inclusions in Thick Copper
Coatings on Their Physico - Mechanical Properties," (citation unknown but believed to be published
more than one year before the date of this patent application).

*STOYCHEV, D.S., and AROYO, M.S., The Influence of Pulse Frequency on the Hardness of Bright
Copper Electrodeposits," Plating & Surface Finishing, pp. 26-28 (August 1997).

*STOYCHEV, D.S., and AROYO, M.S., *On the Influence of Pulse Frequency on the Hardness of
Bright Copper Electrodeposits, (citation unknown but believed to be published more than one year
before the date of this patent application).

*STEIN, B., "A Practical Guide to Understanding, Measuring and Controlling Stress in Electroformed
Metals," presented at the AESF Electroforming Symposium, Las Vegas, NV (March 1996).

EXAMINER

DATE CONSIDERED

•EXAMINER: Initial if reference considered, whether or not criteria is in conformance with MPEP 609. Draw line through citation if not in conformance and not
considered. Include copy of this form with next communication to application(s).

Form 1449.doc

INFORMATION DISCLOSURE
STATEMENT BY APPLICANT

Form PTO-1449 (Modified)
(Use several sheets if necessary)

COMPLETE IF KNOWN

Application Number

Confirmation Number

Filing Date

First Named Inventor

Group Art Unit

Examiner Name

09/885,451

3390

February 20, 2001

Thomas L Ritzdorf

1741

Unknown

Of

6

Attorney Docket No.

291 95-81 70US2

OTHER PRIOR ART-NON PATENT LITERATURE DOCUMENTS

Include name of the author (in CAPITAL LETTERS), title of the article (when appropriate), title of the item
(book, magazine, journal, serial, symposium, catalog, etc.), date, page(s), volume issue number(s), publisher, city
and/or country where published.

Examiner
Initials

Cite
No.

♦SANCHEZ, J. JR., BESSER, P.R., and FIELD, D.P., "Microstructure of Damascene Processed Al-Cu
Interconnects for Integrated Circuit Applications," presented at the Fourth International Workshop on
Stress Induced Phenomena in Metallizations, Tokyo, Japan (June 1997).

*SANCHEZ, J. JR. and BESSER, P.R., "Modelling Microstructure Development in Trench-
Interconnect Structures," Proceedings of the IEEE 1998 International Interconnect Technology
Conference, Sunnyvale, CA. (June 1998).

*FIELD, D.P., SANCHEZ, J. JR., BESSER, P.R., DINGLEY, D.J., "Analysis of Grain-Boundary
Structure in Al-Cu Interconnects," J. AppL, Phys., 82(5) (September 1, 1997).

*GUPTA, D., "Comparative Cu Diffusion Studies in Advanced Metallizations of Cu and Al-Cu Based
Thin Films," Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, San Francisco, CA (April 1994).

*MEGAW, H.D. and STOKES, A.R., "Breadths of X-Ray Diffraction Lines and Mechanical Properties
of Some Cold-Worked Metals," J. Inst Metals, vol. LXXI, PP. 279-289 (1944)

CM

♦THOMPSON, C.V., and KNOWLTON, B.D., "Designing Circuits and Processes to Optimize
Performance and Reliability: Metallurgy Meets Tcad," Microelectronics and Reliability, 36, P. 1683
(1996). .

*CAREL, R., THOMPSON, C.V., FROST, H.J., Material Research Society Symposium, Vol. 343,
Materials Research Society (1994).

*FLORO, J.A., CAREL, R. and THOMPSON, C.V., "Energy Minimization During Epitaxial Grain
Growth: Strain vs. Interfacial Energy," Material Research Society Symposium, Vol. 317, Materials
Research Society, (1994).

*PL6TNER, M., URBANSKY, N., PREUSZ, A. and WENZEL, C, "Control of Mechanical Stresses anc
their Temperature Dependence in PVD CU Films," presented at Adv. Metalliz. & Interconn. Syst. ULS
Applic. San Diego (1997). .

*WONG, CHEE. C, SMITH, H.I., and THOMPSON, C.V., "Secondary Grain Growth and
Graphoepitaxy in Thin Au Films on Submicrometer-Period Gratings," Material Research Society
Symposium Proc, Vol. 47, Materials Research Society (1985).

♦THOMPSON, C.V., and SMITH, H.I., "Secondary Grain Growth in Thin Films." Material Research
Society Symposium Proc. . Vol. 57, Materials Research Society (1987). —

EXAMINER

DATE CONSIDERED

♦EXAMINEE Initial if reference considered, whether or not criteria is in conformance with MPEP 609. Draw line through crtation u not m oonlunnam* ana uoi
considered Include copy of this form with next communication to apphcation(s). _ 1

Form 1449.doc

Information disclosure
statement by applicant

# #Form PTO-1449 (Modified)
k Alse several sheets if necessary)

COMPLET& KNOWN

Application Number

09/885,451

Confirmation Number

3390

Filing Date

February 20, 2001

First Named Inventor

Thomas L Ritzdorf

Group Art Unit

1741

Examiner Name

Unknown

^Reet I 5 of 6

Attorney Docket No.

291 95-81 70US2

OTHER PRIOR ART-NON PATENT LITERATURE DOCUMENTS

Examiner
Initials

Cite
No.

include name of the author (in CAPITAL LETTERS), title of the article (when appropriate), title of the item
(book, magazine, journal, serial, symposium, catalog, etc.), date, page(s), volume issue number(s), publisher, city

and/or country where published.

T

*WONG, C.C., SMITH, H.I., and THOMPSON, C.V. ( "Room Temperature Grain Growth in Thin Au
Films, from Grain Boundary Structure and Related Phenomena, supplement to Transactions of
Japanese Institute of Metals, 27, p. 641 (1986).

*THOMPSON, C.V., "Observations of Grain Growth in Thin Films," from Microstructural Science for
Thin Film Metalizations in Electronics Applications, eds. J. Sanchez, D.A. Smith and N. DeLanerolle,
The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society (1988).

*FROST, H.J., THOMPSON, C.V., and WALTON, D.T., "Abnormal Grain Growth in Thin Films Due to
Anisotropy of Free-Surface Energies," Materials Science Forum, Vols. 94-96, pp. 543-550, Trans Tech
Publications, Switzerland (1992).

*FROST, H.J. and THOMPSON, C.V., "Microstructural Evolution in Thin Films," presented at the
Symposium on Computer Simulation of Microstructural Evolution, Toronto, Canada, October 15
(1985).

*FROST, H.J. THOMPSON, C.V., and WALTON, D.T., "Grain Growth Stagnation and Abnormal
Grain Growth in Thin Films," presented at TMS-AIME Fall Meeting, Indianapolis, IN (1989)

*REED-HALL, et al., "Physical Metallurgy Principles," pp. 270, 286 and 287, 83 rd Ed (1991)

*FROST, H.J. and THOMPSON, C.V., "Modeling of Optical Thin Films," reprint from Proceedings of
SPIE (International Society for Optical Engineering, San Diego, CA 1987, printed by the Society of
Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (1988).

*WALTON, D.T., FROST, H.J. and THOMPSON, C.V., "Computer Simulation of Grain Growth in
Thin-Film Interconnect Lines " Mat Rps Snr Svmn Prnr uni 99*wioqi\

*Harper, J.M.E., Rodbell, K.P., "Microstructure control in semiconductor metallization", J. Vac. Sci.
Technol. B 15(4), pp. 763-779, Jul/Aug 1997.

*Gangulee, A., "The Structure of Electroplated and Vapor-Deposited Copper Films", J. Appl. Phys.,
Vol. 43, No. 3, pp. 867-873, March 1972.

*Gangulee, A., "Structure of Electroplated and Vapor-Deposited Copper Films III. Recrystallization
and Grain Growth", J. Appl Phys. t Vol. 45, No. 9, pp. 3749-3756, September 1974.

*Gross, M.E. et al, "Microstructure and Texture of Electroplated Copper in Damascene Structures",
Material Research Society Proceedings, Vol. 514, 1998. f —

DCC 0 2 WE

tp. 1700

ioiAf noFin conformance anc

EXAMINER

DATE CONSIDERED

♦EXAMINER: Initial if reference considered, whether or not criteria is in conformance with MPEP 609. Draw line through citation'
m considered. Include copy of this form with next communication to appl i cat ion(s).

and not

Form 1449.doc

3 ^INFORMATION DISCLOSURE
STATEMENT BY APPLICANT

X % cf orm PTO-1449 (Modified)
Mi * tf&e several sheets if necessary)

^grigfef^ 6 of 6

COMPLETE IF KNOWN

Application Number

09/885,451

Confirmation Number

3390

Filing Date

February 20, 2001

First Named Inventor

Thomas L Ritzdorf

Group Art Unit

1741

Examiner Name

Unknown

Attorney Docket No.

291 95-81 70US2

OTHER PRIOR ART-NON PATENT LITERATURE DOCUMENTS

Examiner
Initials

Cite
No.

Include name of the author (in CAPITAL LETTERS), title of the article (when appropriate), title of the item
(book, magazine, journal, serial, symposium, catalog, etc.), date, page(s), volume issue number(s), publisher, city

and/or country where published.

T

*PHolctoin n *>t al "Pull Pnnnpr Wirinn in a 95um HMOS Ul SI Tprhnnlnnv" IEFF nn 773-
776. 1997.

*D\/on 1 n. of qI "Torhnnlnnu f^hallonnoc fnr AHv/ancpH IntPrPfinnpptQ"
r\yan, j.vj. ei di, i cuiiiiuiuyy oiidiiciiyco iui /Auvdiiucu uiicil»uiiiicoio .

*Lowenheim, Frederick, "Electroplating", pp. 416-425, January 1979.

♦Patent Abstracts of Japan 04-120290, 21 April 1992.

*Ahn, E.C., et. al., "Adhesion Reliability of Cu-Cr Alloy Films To Polyimide," Met. Res. Soc Symp.
Proc. Vol. 427, 1996 Materials Research Society, pp. 141-145

*Alers ( G.B. et al., "Trade-off between reliability and post-CMP defects during recrystallization anneal
Tor copper oamascene interconnects, iccc inicrndiiuridi rvciiduiiuy r^nyoiuo oyinpuoiuui, uiidiiuu,
Florida 2001 , pp. 350-354

•Gladkikh, A. et. al., "Activation Energy of Electromigration in Copper Thin Film Conductor Lines,"
Met. Res. ooc. oymp. rroc. lyyo Materials Kesearcn oocieiy, pp. izi-ioo

Russell, o.W. et ai., I ne tnect ot copper on tne i iianiurn-oincon uiuxiue rxeauuun ana ine
Implications for Self-Encapsulating, Self-Adhering Metallization Lines," Materials Research Society
oyrnposiurn vol ^ou — Muvanceu ivicidiiizaiiun aiiu "luucooiiiy iui ooiiiiuuiiuuuiui ucviuco diiu
Circuits - II (May 1992) pp 763-769

*Mel, Yu-Jane et al., "Thermal Stability and Interaction Between Siof and Cu Film," Met. Res. Soc.
Symp. Proc. Vol 427, 1996 Materials Research Society, pp. 433-439

RECEIVED

DEC 0 2 2002

TC 1700

EXAMINER

DATE CONSIDERED

•EXAMINER: Initial if reference considered, whether or not criteria is in conformance with MPEP 609. Draw line through citation if not in conformance and not
considered. Include copy of this form with next communication to application^).

Form 1449.doc